


i don't want no cream and sugar (cause I've got you now darling)

by irleggsy



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Konoha is Done With BokuAka's Dumb Gay Bullshit, M/M, Rated General With the Exception of One (1) Curse Word
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:15:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25632673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irleggsy/pseuds/irleggsy
Summary: Akaashi has never regarded a customer with anything other than contempt.Bokuto is the exception.Before Akaashi even has the chance to open his mouth and ask ‘Is there something I can help you with?’ in his customer service voice, Owl Boy slams the folded notebook paper down onto the counter andshouts,“Sir, you’reverypretty!”Akaashi’s face turns bright red. He likes to think he’s a pretty level-headed guy, but he has absolutely no response prepared for that, jesus christ. “Guh,” he says eloquently. “Wh-what?”BokuAka Week 2020 Day 1: Confessions | Childhood friends |Coffee shop AU| Book store AU
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou
Comments: 18
Kudos: 178
Collections: Bokuaka Week 2020





	i don't want no cream and sugar (cause I've got you now darling)

**Author's Note:**

> day 1 of [BokuAka Fanweek 2020!](https://bokuakaweek2020.tumblr.com/) the title of this is from [cigarettes & coffee by otis redding.](https://youtu.be/cm3YM_9iW_s)
> 
> enjoy!

Coffee Fukurodani isn’t anything special, but Akaashi loves it all the same.

Hidden in plain sight, the charming café is buried in the side of a hill, the sidewalk climbing above the windows. The door, when opened, immediately greets you with the scent of locally-roasted coffee beans and artisanal chocolate bars. When you walk down the stairs that lead to the establishment, you pass by vintage merchandise and local newspaper clippings, and every week they host a local artist’s work. This week it’s Yachi Hitoka, her work ranging from sports photography to graphic posters to sweet little gouache paintings.

Akaashi wipes down the counter, preparing to close up shop, humming a city pop tune he faintly remembers his mother listening to. He glances at the clock. It’s 10 minutes 'till 11 p.m., and the only people in Fukurodani are him, his coworkers, and the eccentric white-haired man furiously scribbling away on a notepad.

Akaashi blinks. A new regular, his coworkers have been jokingly calling him ‘Toshirou’, ‘Killua’, ‘Soul’ — any white-haired anime character they can think of — but Akaashi affectionately refers to him as ‘Owl Boy’. In his head, of course. He’d never hear the end of it if he verbalized that particular thought.

He’s never met someone quite so  _ enthusiastic _ to buy a non-caffeinated drink. Without fail,  _ every time,  _ he buys hot chocolate. So what if Akaashi already knows his order by heart? It’s  _ memorable. _

As he watches him scribble away, the man’s pencil breaks. He lets out a string of colorful curses.

Against his will, Akaashi giggles, a gentle little sound that bubbles out of his throat.

Owl Boy whips his head around to stare at him and Akaashi panics, averting his gaze just as urgently. After a few more minutes of wiping down an already spotless counter, Akaashi sends another quick glance back at him. Owl Boy, who was still staring at him, is prepared this time, and breaks out into a grin.

Akaashi blushes and flees to the back room. His hands shaking, he dips his rag back into the wash bucket and wrings it out, giving himself a moment to prepare to face him again. Konoha gives him an odd look from where he's talking to Washio, Sarukui, and Komi, but thankfully decides not to comment.

This time, when Akaashi heads back out, Konoha follows him with an eyebrow raised. Akaashi ignores the way he stares holes into his back. They both start closing.

Quietly wiping down the pastry stand this time, Akaashi pointedly does  _ not _ look at Owl Boy.

This time, Owl Boy comes to him.

Akaashi blinks as he stomps over, an artfully creased piece of paper fisted in his hand, and stands directly in front of him, a bashful smile on his face. Before Akaashi even has the chance to open his mouth and ask _ ‘Is there something I can help you with?’  _ in his customer service voice, Owl Boy  _ slams _ the folded notebook paper down onto the counter and shouts, “Sir, you’re  _ very _ pretty!”

Akaashi’s face turns  _ bright _ red.

Owl Boy looks at him intently.

...He likes to think he’s a pretty level-headed guy, but he has absolutely no response prepared for  _ that, jesus christ. _ “Guh,” he says eloquently. “Wh-what?” he stutters out, and suddenly his heart is beating too fast and his face is too hot and he feels  _ giddy. _

Owl Boy only grins. Then he damn near  _ sprints _ out of the café.

Akaashi just stands there for a moment, rag in hand, heart in throat, staring at the little yellow rectangle.

“So…” Konoha purrs into his ear, snatching up the paper in between his fingers. “Anything you need to tell me about?”

Akaashi swallows and rips his eyes away. “...No. I’ve never talked to him in my life.”

“What, you’re not going to try and take this back?” Konoha teases, dangling the paper above his head.

Akaashi shakes his head and doesn’t rise to the bait, ignoring him in favor of his chores. He knows the inner workings of Konoha’s mind well enough, he’ll back down.

Konoha whines and tosses the paper back to him. “You’re no fun!” He crosses his arms with a  _ hmph _ sound. “Don’t you want his number?”

Already unfolding the paper, Akaashi has to fight back a smile, but judging by the mischievous smirk on Konoha’s face, he’s failing. “He didn’t write his number,” he whispers.

“Huh?” Disappointed, Konoha leans over. 

A field of wildflowers are blooming on the page, messy but impressively detailed. In fact, Akaashi can identify several species—Andromedas, Tiger Lilies, Irises—but of course, that’s not even the subject of the drawing.

Right there, in the center, is a drawing of Akaashi.

It’s by no means realistic, but it’s… surprisingly accurate, his curly hair and sleepy eyes captured to a T. The only odd thing is the way his mouth is scribbled out. An arrow points towards the face, whimsically squiggling and looping down to the bottom of the page where it’s labeled  _ ‘I want to make you smile again.’ _

Akaashi just barely holds one back. He doesn’t want to make it  _ too _ easy for Owl Boy.

Konoha whistles. “What type of indie movie bullshit is that?” he whines.

This time Akaashi  _ does _ smile. “My life, apparently.” He carefully folds the drawing back up and tucks it into his pocket, already thinking of the perfect spot to hang it in his dorm room.

“Disgusting,” Konoha mutters.

Locking the front door, Akaashi rolls his eyes. “I try my best.”

* * *

Akaashi idly remembers telling Konoha a few weeks ago that, “The most unrealistic romantic trope is the one where one half of the pair works in some sort of shop and one is a customer because I have literally never thought about a customer with anything other than contempt.”

Konoha brayed like a donkey in response, but Akaashi wasn’t kidding.

Owl Boy seems determined to change that.

It’s been a few weeks since _ ‘The Incident’, _ as Konoha is so intent on titling it. 

Humming another city pop tune, Akaashi meticulously sweeps the floor behind the counter. He’s been trying to remember the name of the tune for  _ days _ now, and he’s far too proud to call his mother just to ask for the name of a song he’s heard dozens of times before. Furrowing his brow, he softly begins to sing the lyrics, hoping that his brain will recognize the title if it is hidden in the words.

_ “Come away~ _

_ I'll show you my home in the ocean, _

_ And stranger, if you~ get a notion, _

_ That you'd like to love me...” _

Now swaying back and forth gently to the beat, Akaashi carries on.

_ “Well, just do what you feel, do what you feel—” _

A different voice _—_ rough but in-tune _—_ joins in, startling Akaashi out of his cleaning reverie.

_ “Mermaid, mermaid, _

_ I want you but I'm afraid. _

_ Part fish, part girl, _

_ I don't fit your world.” _

Akaashi  _ stares. _ How this man makes a singing voice that’s closer to talking than to singing legitimately sound  _ melodic _ is beyond him.

Owl Boy grins. “Hey, hey, hey! You have great taste in music!”

And then Akaashi remembers.

Shuffling closer to him and slamming his hands onto the counter, he urgently asks, “Do you know the name of that song?”

Owl Boy blinks. “Mermaid? By Tatsuro Yamashita?”

Akaashi resists the urge to smack his head into his hands.  _ Stupid. The name was in the chorus. _ “Oh,” he says quietly, already moving to return to sweeping. “Thank you.”

“Uh, wait!” Owl Boy protests.

Akaashi pauses. Looks around. There aren’t many customers, much less any that seem like they’ll need his help. Leans his broom against the counter. Slowly turns back to him. 

Owl Boy is  _ much _ closer than before. 

Self-conscious, Akaashi tucks a strand of his curly hair behind his ear. Owl Boy’s eyes follow the movement shamelessly.

“I would ask for your name, but I already know it,  _ Akaashi Keiji, _ ” Bokuto says. A shiver travels down Akaashi’s spine involuntarily. “I like your nametag. Very cute.”

Akaashi closes his eyes and lets out a long-suffering sigh. “Thanks,” he says through gritted teeth. “It was beyond my control.” Last week he accidentally let the nickname ‘Owl Boy’ slip to his coworkers, and Komi and Sarukui took it upon themselves to absolutely  _ plaster _ his nametag with puffy owl stickers they bought in bulk at Kinokuniya. “What’s your name?” Akaashi asks softly.

“Bokuto Koutarou!” he crows. “It’s nice to finally meet you properly!”

“Bokuto Koutarou,” Akaashi repeats, letting the name roll off his tongue. He nods his head. “Likewise, Bokuto-san.”

Bokuto turns red. “...Do you remember me?” He suddenly looks bashful. “I uh. Drew you a bunch of flowers that one time?”

“It’d be highly difficult to forget,” Akaashi mumbles. His heart still flutters each time he sees the little sheet of notebook paper he tacked on his wall no matter how many times he tries to swallow it down. He thinks of the words  _ ‘I want to make you smile again.’  _ Akaashi coughs. “...Is your offer still on the table?”

“Eh?” Bokuto, god bless his soul, has to take a moment to process that question. “OH!” he shouts, pointing at a startled Akaashi. “Oh,” he says, softer, and he’s got a little smile that makes Akaashi melt. “Would you like to get coffee with me sometime?” he asks.

“We’re already  _ in _ a coffee shop.” Akaashi looks Bokuto up and down pointedly, asking, “And you mean hot chocolate, right?”

Bokuto, instead of being offended, lights up. “So you DO remember!” he says, enthusiastically loud.

“Yes, Bokuto-san.” And Akaashi is very aware of the fact that he sounds far too fond when he says this. “You’re the only grown adult who regularly orders hot chocolate from a café known for its coffee.”

“That means I’m special!” Bokuto puffs up his chest proudly, like, like—like an owl. The resemblance is uncanny. Akaashi covers his mouth with his hand and lets out another giggle.

Bokuto stares unabashedly, breaking out into a grin. “Awww, don’t cover it up!” he mock-pouts. “Your smile is lovely.”

Akaashi’s blood turns hot. Flustered, he picks his broom back up. “I get off at 6,” he whispers. He pretends not to see the way Bokuto fist-pumps like an absolute  _ dork. _

He pretends he isn’t equally excited.

**Author's Note:**

> the song mentioned is mermaid by the ‘king of city pop’ tatsuro yamashita & the ‘i have never regarded a customer with anything but contempt’ quote is based on this post.
> 
> beta read by the lovelies Trix (trixie_moon) and TJ (TsukkiNoNeko)!! thank you both so much for your help & support & the constant reminder that akaashi keiji is a SIMP.
> 
> [tumblr](https://irleggsywrites.tumblr.com/)|[twitter](https://twitter.com/irleggsy)
> 
> please leave a comment on your way out, it's the only way my stupid lizard brain stays motivated to write <3 ciao!


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